Means for cracking nuts



Jan 6, 1931. F. HAYES 1,787,746

MEANS FOR CRACKING NUTS Filed Jan. so, 1928 2 Sheet$-$heet 1 Jan 6, 1931. F. HAYES MEANS FOR CRACKING NUTS Filed Jan. 30, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 6, 1931 T wr;orrlcri raAnitnAYns; or EL 'ivIoNrn, CALIFORNIA MEANS non CRACKING nuns Application filed Januar se, 192s. sensin 250,572. a

This invention relates to a method of and means for crackingnuts, and is'inore particle .larly related-to a method 'andimeansof cracking or fracturing the shells :oi nuts, and feeding the nuts to the cracking means andt'or delivering the nuts with their cracked shells tromthe cracking means :Qln av manner to cause the cracked shells to split away from the meat of the nuts.

10' Many; forms of .nut crackers have heretofore been devised-,1 but "a-pplicant isunaware of there be ngiprovided heretofore an automatic nut cracking machine to which nuts could be fed 1n a manner to=pos1t1on the nut-s relative to acrackercracking the nuts positioned in a manner tofracture the shell of the nut without.substantialdamage to the meat or kernel thereof, andthen delivering the nut from the cracking means in a manner so to cause the fractured or split shell to'fall away fromthe meat or kernel Manycrackers are 110w in use which are employed for the cracking of a large quantity ofnuts, particularly walnuts, but these: craekersare not entirely satisfactory in that. they mutilate too great a portion of the meat or kernel of the nut anddo not operate to lfracture or split the shells of theynuts'in am'annerto p inental-view of a slngle cracker unit. embodyng-th1s invention.

' permit the shells of all of the nuts to' be broken away from the meat thereofQrThe percentage of successfuL-cracks'otthejshell .is not high .in theseinachines heretofore provided.

An object of thisv invention is to provide a method of cracking nutsincludingthe feed ing of the nutsto a position in whichthe nuts are held stationary, imparting a quicksharp ,blow' to said nuts, and teeding the nuts from the said position-to permit the sameto drop a0 causing-the nut-shell to; separate from the nut meats. 5

Another object of ,this invention is to provide a method of cracking nutsincludingthe feeding of nuts to a cracker cup, imparting as a quick blow to said-nut in the-cup and permitting the cracked f nut to drop i from the cup tojstrike a surface, causingithe shell to separate away from themeat of rthenut,

Another object ofthisinventionis to proea videa means for automaticallycracking nuts 7 Figure 5 is a perspective v1 including schema cracker, means for conlve'ying the nuts from the chute in single file ,relatio'nto the cracker, and means for imparting a sudden sharpblow to the nuts in "said conveying means.

Another ob ect ofthisv invention is to provide a ,crackerunit adapted to be employed either in an automatic nut cracking machine or adapted to be used in a hand cracking machine, which, includes a pair of cracking members, one constituting a holding device and the other a cracker, means for automatically adjusting the position of the cracker relative to the holder in accordance with the size ofthe nut,and means for imparting asudden quick blow through the automatic regulating means and crackerto said nut.

Other-objects" and advantages of this in- I vention, it is believed, will be apparent from the following detailed descriptionof a preferred embodiment of this invention as illustrated in the accompanying. drawings; In the drawings: I Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automatic nut cracker, embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a frontelevation thereof. Figure 3 is as detached enlarged frag- Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmental sectional detail V1W0f means to hold the supporting cylinder stationary;

complementary cracker members embodied in tlllSflIlVBl'ltlOlL,

p I Figure, 6vis aside elevation of a handvnut crackerembodying this 1nvent1on.:

If have found that:nuts, particularly walnuts,-n1ay be successfully crackedw'ith a very a high. percentage of successful crackln'gs of the shells withoutxsubs'tantial mutilation of the nut ineats if the nuts are fedcin single ifilerelationto a holder member which also constitutes one'part otapair of complemenew of one of the tary cracking dies, (imparting a sharp blow to the nut positioned between said: pair of. cracker members ,after the cracker members have been adjusted tothe size of said nut, and also thatthe shellof thenutinay be caused to separate from the meat thereof by permitting the nut and shell to fall from between said complementary cracker members to strike a surface, leaving the nut meat'separated from the fractured shell in such a manner that the meats may be separated 7 from the" shell by any well known methods such, for example, as imparting a suction to themixture of nut meats and shells, to causethe nutshells to be drawnor sucked away from said meats.

In the accompanying drawings, I have: 11'- lustrated means for carrying out the method enibodyingthis invention asset forth in the set forth. 'The'cylinder 3 is secured to a' shaft 4: mounted in a frame 5.-

The cups of the cylinder 3 pick up the nuts and one nut will be positioned within each of said cracker cups. 7

The cylinder 3 is driven intermittently by any suitable form of means such, for example, as through a drive pawl and ratchet'6 'connectedwith the pitman-T of an eccentric 8, The .nuts are brought to rest position for ainoment' to permit a sharp quickblow to be imparted. thereto through the cracker members 10. The. moment of rest "of the "nuts under the cracker members 1Qis extremely short and in all probability it would be possible to drive the cylinder 3 continuously without causing the same to come to rest if the cracker member is driven at a rapid enough rate.

The nuts having been cracked by the cracker member 10 in the cups of the cylinder 3 are dropped from the cups of the cylinder 3 onto asurface 11 'which maybe either a small flat surface or'may be itfllIlCllIlQd surface of a chute 12 through which the-nuts are fed to a conveyor 13011 which the; shells are Separated from the meatsofthee-nuts. The dropping of, the nuts'wlththeir" shat tered' or fractured shells onto the surface ll' causes the fracturedshells to split away from the meats, enablln'g'the cracked shells to be removed from themeats by conveying the cracked nuts on the conveyor 13 under a suction throat 14: which is connected with 'asu ction fan 15'. Theiconveyor13 1nay,if desired, be given a bumping action to;bump

the nuts and fractured shellslupiand down.

" on the surface thereof,, as they are caused to travel along the conveyor '13 under the suction throat 14, to aid the. suction in separating the'shells from the meats. Any suitable form of bumping means, may" be provided for bumping the conveyor 13, such for example as is illustrated at 16. Any other form of separating means may be provided for separating the shells from the nut meats and, if desired, the shells may be separated from the nut meats by hand picking.

The complementary cracking members embodied in this invention are preferably'of the following construction. The cups 17 which are held by the cylinder 3 are preferably mounted in recesses 18 formed in the periphery of the cylinder 3. The cup members 17 each include three upwardly extendingpr'ongs. 20,' which are formed integral with a base portion 21. The outer periphery of the base 21 is cutaway, as illustrated at '21. The cracker members 10 which form the other member of thecomplementary cracking means'embodied in this invention are of the same construction as the cups 17, and like- Wise include three" prongs 22' which extend from the base 23; The cracker members 10 are" held in position so that their prongs 22 fit betweenthe prongs of the cups 17, forming'a six-point engagement of the nut-[between the prongs 20 and 22 of the members 10 and 17, respectively, When a sharp blow is imparted to the cracker members 1O ;after the same have been adjusted to a position to accommodatethe size; of the particular nuts positioned between the cracker members 10 and their complementary cups 17 the nut,

shell is fractured atthe sixpoints 0f engage merit. The shell beingfractured at such a multiplicity off'points will easily separate from the nut meat when the same is dropped a short distance and permitted to engage a surface whichwill-i jarthe cracked shell and nut meats to cause the sliell to split away from the nut meat.

In order to accommodate nuts of different sizes between the members 10 and 17, and to adjust the members 17 in position relative to the members 10 so thateach of the nuts will receive the proper im julse tocrack the shells of the nuts without s hatteri-ng the meat of the-nut, but of'sufiicien't force to crack the shell at the six points of contact, so that the V shell willv fall awaylrom the nut meats, the "following .means are preferably provided: 1 l

The cracker member 10 is secured to a rod at end the 10di24; is 'pivotally supported at a' pin $251 onalsleeve26. rThepi'votal supportingv'of the cracker member 10 permits the cracker'rn em'ber '10 to ust itself so that eachof its prongs. 22 engages the periphery of the nut, irrespective of the position of the-nut'inthecup 17 This likewise permits the nut to be engaged with the inner peripheryi of'eachoftheprongs QOofthe'ciIp 17, in-

' 'suring an even six point contactof the-nut withthe prongs 20 and 22; The- 'sle eve 26 is slotted, asil lustrated at 27 to receivean automatically operating adjusting link 28. The adjusting'link28ispivotally supported withill] in the sleeve'26 at a pin 29. Inor'der to balance the link 28' andinsure even. operation of thelink, a spring 31 isprovided whichiss ecured to the extension of the link 28 at one end and to the support 32 at the other end. The spring 31 yieldably urges the link 28 to rotate to the position to accommodate the largest size nut between the "members 10 and 17 In order to cause the link 28 to rotate on the pin 29 to adjust the'position of the member 10 relative to the cup 17; a rest block 131 is provided, 'whi'ch engages the curved edge 132 of the link'28 to hol'd'this point of the link 28 from'moving vertically as the sleeve 26 moves downward to cause the link 28 to rotate around the point of contact of the link 28 with the block 131. A spring 133 yieldably urges the block 131 into contacting position and the spring 133 is stronger than the spring 31. The spring 133 is also for the purpose of allowing the link 28 to move downwardly during the cracking movement of the cup member 10.

The movement of the sleeve 26 downwardly is eiiected in any suitable or desirable manher, as will hereinafter be specifically described, and the sleeve 26 carries a plunger 33 which engages the link 28 after the same has been rotated to adjust the position of the member 10. The plunger 33 is mounted within the sleeve 26 on a pin 39, which passes through an elongated slot 40 formed through the plunger 33. The plunger 33 is provided at its lower end with a pawl end 41 providing mounted'on the plunger 33. The spring 48 is of greater strength than the spring 37,

thereby holding the plunger 33 from move ment relative to the sleeve 26 until movement of the sleeve 26 is prevented by the member 10 engaging the nut mounted within the cup 17. The plunger 33 then moves until the point 34 engages in the proper tooth 42 and a solid connection is then provided between the plunger 33 and the cracker member 10.

Any suitable or desirable form of means may be provided for imparting a quick sharp impulse to the plunger 33, and in the automatic machine illustrated in-Figs. 1 and 2, a plurality of cracker units including plungers 33 adjusting links 28, and accompanying parts, are provided. The sharp impulse is imparted to the plunger. 33 in this machine by means of a cam 43 which is mounted on a shaft 44 driven from any suitable source.

The driving means are diagrammatically illustrated at 45.

Means are provided for holding the cylinder 3 stationary to position'the cups 17 accurately under the cracker members 10, which are screw-threaded in the cylinder 3 in a manher to permit the adjustment of pressure ex erted by, the springs 53 on the ends of the plungers 50. i Y

" (Means are alsouprovided for adjusting the stroke of the cracker members 10, which means preferably comprise caps 54zwhich are screw-threaded to the ends of the rods 33;

Locknuts are also screw-threaded on the rods 33in position toengage the caps 54 to lock the samein adjustedposition. i

In the nut cracker illustrated in Figure 5, the construction is entirely similar to that heretofore described in connection with the automaticmachine, so that the similar parts are designated with the same numerals with the addition of an exponent a. -The cup member 17a isheld stationary on a support 46a. The means for actuating the plunger 33a includes an actuating lever 47-a'which'is pivotallyunounted and is also pivotally secured to the plunger 33a. Interposed be tweenthei actuating lever 47a and thecollar 36a is aspring48a which, normally acts to raise-the operating member 470. bracket '49ais' secured in positionand is provided with' an adjustable stop member 50awhich act s-to engage theend of'the operating" lever 47a toprevent the same being drawn too'far fdown. The1dra'w'ing' of the'operating lever 47:; too far downwardly would cause the nut meats to be crushed and mutilatedbetween fthe'"cracker membr'10a and cup 17a,

*Having' fully described my invention, it is tobeunderstoou that 1 do not'wish to be lim- Tit ed .to the idetails herein 'set'forth, but my invention is ofthe full scope of the appended claims. r

Iclaimr I I .LAdevice for cracking nuts which infcludes a cracker saw. complementary cracka-wmtea-mw for imparting a sharp blow totheccr'acker cup, and means for adjusting the; position of the cracker member relative to'the cracker cup before theblowimparting means is actuated;

' a device *of;the class described, the

combination of acracker cup, acracker mem b'er, 'me'ans'for freely supporting the cracker -memb'errelative to the cracker cup, a floater -mountedin the supporting "means, a plunger mounted in the supporting means and adaptred tolengage the. floater to-determine, the

position of the cracker member relative to the cracker cup and for maintaining a definite movement of the cracker member relative to the-cracker cup,v and means for imparting a sharp blowto the supporting means to crack the nut mounted betweenvthecracker member and cracker cup. 7

3. In a nut cracking machine, thecombination of, a crackercup providing threeupstanding prongs, a complementary cracking member likewise providing three prongs, means holding said cracker members in posii tion so that'theirprongs inter fit, and means for pivotally supporting one off'said cracker members. 7 v r 4:. In a device of the class described, the combination of a cracker cup, a crackermember,v means for pivotally. supporting; the cracker member relative to the cracker cup,

'means. for imparting a sharp blow to the cracker member,. and means for automatie cally determining the length of the stroke of the cracker member relative to the cracker the shell of the nut mounted between the cracker member and the cracker cup.

Signed at El Monte, Califi, this 23rd day of January, 1928.

5 ERANK' HAYES.

cup, said means being mounted intermediate the blow-imparting means and the. cracker member. r or 1 5., In; a device of the class described, the

combination of acracker cup, a cracker mem her, a tubnlarmember, means for-pivotally supporting the cracker member from the tubular membe1, -a plunger mounted within the. tubular member,- afloater pivotall'y mounted within the: tubular, member in position to lee-engaged by-the plunger to deter-, minethe length'of stroke-ofthe plunger iror respective of the size of the nut interposed betweenthe cracker cup and crackerm'emher, and means-for actuating the plunger to impart a quick blow" to the nut interposed between the cracker cup and cracker mem- 7 ber.

6. A device for cracking .nutswhich inv cludes a cracker cup, a complementary sharp blow to the crackerv cup, and means member relative tothe cracker cup irrespectiveof; the size of the nut within the cracker cracker cup.

. .7. A device 7 cup. to contact the cracker member with the V nut in the cup prior to the actuation ofrthe cracker member; means for ,imparting a V for adjusting the position of the Cracker means for imparting a sharp bl owito the cludes a cracker cup, a complementary cracker memben -means-for imparting a for;cracking nutsavvhichfin sharp blow to thecrackermember, and means interposed between mpartin means and the cracker member ior aiitomatically adjusting the positionof the cracker -member in relation to the cracker cup as the means for imparting a: sharp blow to. the v cracker memberi'is actuated and, before the "sharp bl'ow'is imparted to the cracker'member.

v4.115 L In -a evice o-i the'cla ss' described; the 

